Figure A
The trade deficit is responsible for manufacturing job loss: U.S. manufacturing employment and manufacturing trade deficit, 1997–2017
| Year | Manufacturing employment (left axis) | Manufacturing trade deficit (right axis) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 17.419 | 130.63 |
| 1998 | 17.56 | 186.524 |
| 1999 | 17.322 | 259.005 |
| 2000 | 17.263 | 317.235 |
| 2001 | 16.441 | 304.111 |
| 2002 | 15.259 | 362.637 |
| 2003 | 14.509 | 403.094 |
| 2004 | 14.315 | 487.436 |
| 2005 | 14.227 | 541.396 |
| 2006 | 14.155 | 558.538 |
| 2007 | 13.879 | 532.226 |
| 2008 | 13.406 | 456.252 |
| 2009 | 11.847 | 319.47 |
| 2010 | 11.528 | 412.743 |
| 2011 | 11.726 | 440.606 |
| 2012 | 11.927 | 458.686 |
| 2013 | 12.02 | 449.28 |
| 2014 | 12.185 | 515.129 |
| 2015 | 12.336 | 629.778 |
| 2016 | 12.354 | 648.477 |
| 2017 | 12.444 | 698.465 |
Source: updated from Manufacturing Job Loss: Trade, Not Productivity, Is the Culprit by Robert E. Scott
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